The current focal point of the Bucerius Lab – the “editorial society” – examines society’s interaction with media, news and information and the creation of a public sphere. A central consideration is the issue of news literacy.
Embracing innovative formats, the team at the Bucerius Lab is exploring questions such as:
- What kind of information circulates in a world where digital media allows anyone to quickly reach a mass audience but not everyone is familiar with journalistic standards or has the discerning eye of an editor?
- How do we distinguish facts from opinion and attitudes?
- Media is responsible for a large portion of our knowledge and shapes our understanding of the world. What consequence does this have not only for the attitudes we hold but also for political processes?
- How can we respectfully coexist and engage in informed dialogue despite having divergent opinions?
The notion of an editorial society describes a (still) utopian world in which people thoughtfully process media and information, contribute to the shaping of the public sphere, and participate in democratic processes – in both digital and physical settings. In such a world, individuals understand how media serves to construct reality and appreciate the difference between forms of action carried out by platforms such as social networks and the mass media curated by journalists. People are aware of the psychological mechanisms underlying their perception of the world, and their communication is premised on a framework of value-driven public exchange.
Contact person:
Dr. Amelie Zimmermann, Head of the Bucerius Lab, zimmermann@zeit-stiftung.de
